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Transactions Newsletter
1998 Annual Report

Traffic Worse Than Ever, But Carpool Lanes Offer Relief
Congestion on Bay Area freeways increased 24 percent between 1996 and 1998, to a level nearly double what it was 10 years ago, according to a new report from Caltrans. On a typical weekday last year, Bay Area commuters spent an estimated 112,000 vehicle-hours in delays, costing them a total of more than $1.2 million a day. While traffic increased in every county, the greatest increases occurred on routes in Alameda and Santa Clara counties.

In Alameda, the morning commute on Interstate 680 southbound over the Sunol Grade now ranks as the number one hot spot in the region, surpassing the a.m. commute on Interstate 80 from Pinole to the Bay Bridge toll plaza, long ranked as first/worst in gridlock. Thanks to a 16-mile high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lane completed a year ago, Interstate 80 westbound congestion has decreased 30 percent, as more and more commuters recognize the time-, money- and stress-saving advantages of carpooling and transit. Interstate 880 from Auto Mall Parkway to Dixon Landing Road provides another HOV lane success story, with a two-year drop in traffic congestion telling the tale.

HOV-lane help is on the way for Sunol Grade commuters, as Caltrans plans to begin constructing a 14-mile carpool lane from Sunol to Milpitas next year. The congestion-relieving Altamont Commuter Express train between Stockton and San Jose also plans to add more service this year. For the full report, visit the Caltrans Web site; see "Congestion Report" under "Caltrans information."

-- Marjorie Blackwell

Congestion Map

Chart of Congestion Hotspots

Annual Report Contents

BATA

Status report on bridge expansion program

Vehicle counts on Bay Area Bridges (With photos!)

Summary of Regional Measure One projects

BATA Revenues & Expenditures

MTC

Bullish year for transportation funding

Citizens applaud Regional Transportation Plan

TLC program aims to turn neighborhoods around

Transit and traffic info is just a
mouse click or phone call away

MTC pursues TransLink® universal ticket

View and download MTC statistics

SAFE

Keeping roadways SAFE

SAFE services

SAFE statistics for 1997-98

Facts and Figures

Bay Area's 10 worst traffic hot spots

In Print & Online

New: Transportation funding, paratransit resources,
transit operator statistics